Figure 1.--The German Army crossed the Belgian border, attacked Liege, and launched World war I (August 4, 1914). Soon refugees were on the road fleeing the German advance. Most headed for the Netherlands and France. Some took to boats and ships and headed for British ports along the Kentish coast. he first arrived in August and kept coming for months. Here is a view of the harbor at Folkestone. Look closely to see how small the boats picture here were. The photo captures three of the boats. Source: Bain News Service. Library of Congress.

Most Belgian refugees sought safety in the Netherland or France. A smller group of Belgians reached Britain by ship, some 250,000 refugees. Britain did not offer sanctuary, the Belgians just came and were not turned back. This was the largest single influx of pople in Britain's history. The British were totly unprepared. Suddenly Belgians began arriving immeiately after the German invasion. They landed in ports all along the Kentish coast (southeast England). And for several months they kept coming, landing almost daily at Dover, Folkestone, Grimsby, Harwich, Hull, Margate, and Tilbury. Folkestone was a bustling port, but no one there was prepared when 16,000 Belgian refugees arived in one single day (October 14, 1914. The British response was much more orgnized than the Dutch response. The Belgians were now fighting allies, so the British made an important to assist them. The British did not set up camps, but purpose-built villages they had their own schools, newspapers, shops, hospitals, churches, and even prisons and police. These were given the status of Belgian territory administered by the Belgian government. They people even used Belgian currency. Few communities did not participate in this effort. Families across the country took them in and this included all four nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. One historian reports, "A group of Belgians detraining in Northampton were met by 'kind-hearted ladies [who] were ready at the station with steaming coffee, buns and sweets'. Such refugees arriving in the English Midlands 'brought home to us the tragedy of their martyred country'." [Purseigle] The refugees were initially greeted with open arms by the British people. The government found the refugee issue ueful. Their desperate plight ptomoted anti-German feeling and generate public support for the War which unlike Workd war II came as sudden surprise to the Bitish people. Another source reports that "Contact with the Belgian refugees acted as a good reminder of why the First World War was a war worth fighting. [Sheffield]. The press widely reported the refugee plight on the ccontinent. One expert describes how "There was a jubilant feeling of going to get 'the Bosche' and the 'plucky little Belgians' fitted into that narrative. It was often the case that if you didn't have a refugee staying with you, you knew someone who did. They were treated rather like pets." [Declercq] The British like the Americans were moved at the plight of the Belgians. And this when the refuges showed up, their was an outpooring of sympathy and willingness to help them.

Numbers

Most Belgian refugees sought safety in the Netherlands and France. A smller group of Belgians reached Britain by ship, some 250,000 refugees. Despite this substabtial number. Strangely, the only Belgian refugee that almostall Britons can name is our favorite detective--the fictional Hercule Poirot. The master detective is based on a real life Belgian refugee she met in her home town of Torquay. Unfortunately she did not touch on the world war I refuge experience.

Unexpected Exodus

Britain did not offer sanctuary, the Belgians just came and were not turned back. This was the largest single influx of pople in Britain's history. The British were totly unprepared. Suddenly Belgians began arriving immeiately after the German invasion. They landed in ports all along the Kentish coast (southeast England). And for several months they kept coming, landing almost daily at Dover, Folkestone, Grimsby, Harwich, Hull, Margate, and Tilbury. Folkestone was a bustling port, but no one there was prepared when 16,000 Belgian refugees arived in one single day (October 14, 1914).

Response

Few refugees in history have been so enthusiastically welcomed. There are reports of thousands of cheering Britons coming out to greet a mere handful of Belgian refugees. One refugee wrote in his dairy how frightened he was when a fight broke out between who wanted to carry his luggage when he arrived. Much of the response was the generosity of private individuals. Few communities did not participate in this effort. Families across the country took them in and this included all four nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). One historian reports, "A group of Belgians detraining in Northampton were met by 'kind-hearted ladies [who] were ready at the station with steaming coffee, buns and sweets'. Such refugees arriving in the English Midlands 'brought home to us the tragedy of their martyred country'." [Purseigle] The refugees were initially greeted with open arms by the British people.

Government Policy

The British response was much more organized than the Dutch response. The Belgians were now fighting allies, so the British made an important to assist them. The government found the refugee issue ueful. Their desperate plight ptomoted anti-German feeling and generate public support for the War which unlike World War II came as sudden surprise to the Bitish people. Another source reports that "Contact with the Belgian refugees acted as a good reminder of why the First World War was a war worth fighting. [Sheffield]. The British did not set up camps, but purpose-built villages they had their own schools, newspapers, shops, hospitals, churches, and even prisons and police. These were given the status of Belgian territory administered by the Belgian government. They people even used Belgian currency. Elisabethville was a sovereign Belgian enclave in Birtley, Tyne and Wear which housed 6,000 Belgian refugees. It was named after the Belgium's highly respected Queen Elizabeth. After the War, almost all of the Belgians returned home. A few families stayed in the North East. Local families moved into Elisabethville, but the hastily built homes fell into disrepair and largely demolished during the 1930s. Not all of the Belgians were destitute. Some of the affluent refugees bought their own homes or rented flats.

The Press

The press widely reported the refugee plight on the ccontinent. One expert describes how "There was a jubilant feeling of going to get 'the Bosche' and the 'plucky little Belgians' fitted into that narrative. It was often the case that if you didn't have a refugee staying with you, you knew someone who did. They were treated rather like pets." [Declercq] The British like the Americans were moved at the plight of the Belgians reported in the press. And this when the refuges showed up, their was an outpooring of sympathy and willingness to help them.

Declining Enthusism

The enthusiam ith which the refuees were received did not continue. Most Britons as most Germans and other Europeans did not believe the war would last long. Many of the soldiers expected to be home for Christmas. Thus thosw who took in Belgians thought they were making a short term rather than a permanent commitment. As the war continued, so did the privations that the British had to endure. One historian reports, "As Belgians became more permanent guests a lot of individuals and families who enthusiastically housed them ran out of money and/or patience within a few months and returned the refugees to where they had collected them." [Jenkinson] Housing wasissue. Jobs less so as so many men were drafted for the war effort. There was a labor shortage and thus the Belgians were able to participate in the war effort. Another issue was the purpose-built villages for the Belgians. As they were modern constuction, they had running water and electricity. Many of their British neighbours did not. One historian tells us, "Key to the growing resentment was how badly the British were suffering in comparison." [Declercq] This is a matter of perception, but it is true that many Britons began to believe this.

Return after the War

Despite the large numbers the Belgians except for a church, few plaques, tombstones, wood carvings, and stree names left almost physical mark on Britain. There is one lone monument in London's Victoria Embankment Gardens which the Belgian Government erected to thank the British people. Most British people have no idea that the country even took in large numbers of Belgians during the War. [Kushner] We are less sure about the Belgians. Few of the Belgian refugees stayed in Britain after the War. Not only did the refugees want to go home, but both the Belgian and British Govenmnts wanted thm to do so. The Belgians wanted to reunite with family and friends. The British government wanted its soldiers home and refugees returned to Belgium. One historian reports, "Britain had an obligation to help refugees during the war but the narrative quickly changed when it ended, the government didn't want foreigners anymore." [Kushner] Many Belgians lost their jobs and had little alternative but to return. The government provided free one-way tickets back to Belgium, but it was aimited offer. This was to encourage the Belgians to leave as soon as possible. The Governmented wanted mke way for soldiers who neeed homes and jobs. And this is just what happened. Within a yer, more thn 90 percent of the Belgian refuges were back home. [Kushner] The Belgian Gvernment had no objection. They wanted their people back home to help rebuil their war-torn country. And unlike the way they came, they did not return destitute. Thise who remained assimilated, marries British women nd nerged into the wider Bitish popultion. One historian claims that "They were white and Catholic so they didn't stand out. They simply disappeared from view." [Sheffield] That is probably true, but ut also is true tht there was a basic cultural commanality. Too many academics focus on race. It is true that Syrian refugees are not as well recrived, but it is also true that many of those rfugees come to Bitain with negative ideas about the West, British culture, democracy, feee speech, and cultural pluralism.

Declining Memory

The Belgian refugees arenot well remenbered today because there stay was realtivly hort, only about 4 years. Some historians posit this was not the only reason. One historian posits, "There was also a more personal reason why the refugees slipped from the country's collective memory. When British soldiers returned from the war many didn't want to talk about what they'd experienced. The subject was off limits and as a result their families didn't feel they could talk about what they had experienced at home while the men were fighting, or at least it seemed insignificant. They just didn't have those conversations." [Declercq] As a result, Belgian refugee effort was not well remembered at a national level or within families that hosted refugees. This was not entirely true. One historian reports, "There are the stories out there. Some families did stay in touch with the Belgians they had looked after and they visited each other for years. We are starting to scratch the surface and find out who these people were." [Declercq] And in only two decded Briton fced nd even more harrowing war crisis. A historian describes how ""The events of 1939 to 1945 completely overtook the First World War in people's minds. There was a new wave of refugees to dominate the memory. So many things about the First World War were forgotten, all the nuances of the subject." [Sheffield.] In World war II, the Germn onslught was mechanized and much more rapid. Even the Britih Expeditinary Force almost id not ger back home. Thus few Belgians made it to Britain and had to endure a much more brutal German ocupation.

Sources

Declercq, Christophe. Director, Online Centre for Research on Belgian Refugees. University College London in Denise Winterman, "World War One: How 250,000 Belgian refugees didn't leave a trace," BBC News Magazine (September 15, 2014).

Jenkinson, Jacqueline. Lecturer in history, University of Stirling in Denise Winterman, "World War One: How 250,000 Belgian refugees didn't leave a trace," BBC News Magazine (September 15, 2014).

Kushner, Tony. Professor of Modern History, University of Southampton in Denise Winterman, "World War One: How 250,000 Belgian refugees didn't leave a trace," BBC News Magazine (September 15, 2014).

Purseigle, Pierre. The Reception of Belgian Refugees in Europe: A Litmus Test of Wartime Social Mobilisation.

Sheffield, Gary. Professor of War Studies, University of Wolverhampton in Denise Winterman, "World War One: How 250,000 Belgian refugees didn't leave a trace," BBC News Magazine (September 15, 2014).

Created: 9:59 AM 1/17/2016
Last updated: 12:04 AM 1/18/2016